The International Space Station is up for a restock, and this delivery promises to be more thrilling than your typical grocery order. On Tuesday, Space X is scheduled to launch a rocket from Florida as part of Northrop Grumman's 20th NASA Commercial Resupply Services mission.
The rocket, bound for the International Space Station, is expected to reach its destination later in the week, carrying a payload of thousands of pounds of supplies.
NASA plans to provide live coverage of the launch and mission, offering free live streams on various platforms. Here's how you can catch the launch from the comfort of your own home.
Northrop Grumman Cargo Space Station Mission
NASA, Northrop Grumman, and Space X are collaborating on the mission, aiming to transport a total of 8,200 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. This payload includes a variety of items such as scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment.
This shipment includes crucial equipment to support ongoing research initiatives. Among the cargo are tools for the first surgical robot on the space station, a 3D cartilage cell culture designed to maintain healthy cartilage in lower gravity, and a metal 3D printer intended to test the capability of printing small metal parts.
The Cygnus cargo spacecraft will be launched into space atop Space X's Falcon 9 rocket, with liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Tuesday, January 30. The spacecraft is scheduled to reach the space station on Thursday, February 1.
Named the S.S. Patricia “Patty” Hilliard Robertson, in honor of the former NASA astronaut, the Cygnus spacecraft is slated to remain at the space station until May. After completing its mission, it will depart and undergo a controlled re-entry, burning up harmlessly in Earth's atmosphere.
Watch Live Space X
Source: NASA
NASA's live launch coverage is scheduled to commence at 11:50 a.m. EST on Tuesday, January 30. The participating teams are targeting an actual launch time no earlier than 12:07 p.m. EST, contingent on launch readiness. Please note that the launch timing is subject to change based on mission preparations and conditions.
Watch live on Youtube
SpaceX’s upcoming launch schedule features several noteworthy events:
1. January 28/29
Launch Time: 9:57 p.m. PST (12:57 a.m. EST, 0557 UTC)
launch Site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
A Space X Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch 22 Starlink internet satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East. The first stage booster will land on the drone ship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ in the Pacific Ocean.
2. January 30
Launch Time: 12:07 p.m. EST (1707 UTC)
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A Space X Falcon 9 rocket will launch Northrop Grumman’s 21st Cygnus cargo freighter on its 20th operational cargo delivery flight to the International Space Station (ISS).
3. February 6
Launch Time: To be determined (TBD)
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
A Space X Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol Cloud Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, designed to assess ocean health by measuring phytoplankton distribution.
4. February 14
Launch Time: TBD
Launch Site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
A Space X Falcon 9 rocket will launch the IM-1 mission, deploying the Nova-C lander for Intuitive Machines. The mission aims to deliver science payloads to the moon's surface for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.
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